ICE officer accused of intentionally hitting man with SUV in Houston, Texas
A Texas prosecutor says an ICE officer appeared to deliberately drive into a man in Houston, breaking his leg. Criminal charges, including aggravated assault, are being considered.
Houston prosecutor warns of criminal charges after ICE vehicle strikes man
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer appeared to intentionally drive a vehicle into a man in Houston, Texas, breaking his leg, according to pbs.org, which reported statements from Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare on Tuesday.
Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, underwent surgery for a broken leg after being struck by a car on Saturday. Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston — an immigrant rights organisation assisting the man's family — confirmed the surgery and said Parra Hernandez remains in ICE custody at a hospital, still awaiting reconstructive ankle surgery.
"He already had a surgery for the injury under his knee and now we're waiting for swelling to go down in his ankle to be able to have a reconstructive surgery on his ankle," Espinosa said at a news conference Wednesday.
Surveillance footage at centre of investigation
Teare, a Democrat, described surveillance footage showing Parra Hernandez and another person jumping out of a white truck and running as a dark SUV pursues them. The vehicle strikes Parra Hernandez, who is seen on the ground seconds later.
"The most obvious criminal charge is aggravated assault with a deadly weapon," Teare told FOX 26 Houston. "Meaning the car was used as a deadly weapon. And it certainly is what appears to have happened, based on the surveillance footage."
The footage, as described at the news conference, shows the black SUV approaching the man from behind, coming within inches of him before stopping. The moment of impact itself is obscured by another vehicle in frame, but the man is visible on the ground behind the SUV immediately after.
ICE disputes account, denies deliberate act
ICE rejected the allegations in a statement, calling claims that officers intentionally struck Parra Hernandez "reckless" and "false." The agency said Parra Hernandez had been travelling in a vehicle with the target of an enforcement operation. When officers attempted to stop that vehicle, both men fled on foot, and Parra Hernandez "ran in front of an ICE vehicle and was struck," ICE said.
Espinosa flatly denied that account, citing the surveillance video.
Attorneys and relatives of others arrested during the Saturday operation also disputed ICE's claim that the named target of the operation — Jose Mendoza-Cervantes — had been in the white truck at all, stating they did not know anyone by that name.
Man's background and custody status
Espinosa said Parra Hernandez is originally from Mexico and has lived in the United States for 34 years. He declined to specify his immigration status beyond confirming he is living in the country without authorisation. Two ICE officers were present in the hospital room when Espinosa visited him, he said.
Parra Hernandez's attorney, Kim Bruno, confirmed at Wednesday's news conference that he remains in ICE custody and still requires the additional ankle operation.
Pattern of incidents draws scrutiny
The encounter has renewed criticism of immigration enforcement in Houston. Teare noted that ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not cooperated with his office during its investigation into the Saturday incident.
This mirrors a previous case: in July, Teare said DHS ignored his request for information after an ICE officer fatally shot 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. That shooting was one of at least ten deaths involving encounters with immigration officers since the start of President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign, according to the report.
The Harris County District Attorney's office has indicated its investigation could result in criminal charges against the ICE officer involved in Saturday's incident.
Source: Google News MT